An acoustic and perception test of Chinese learning Thai with the Thai tone application

Phanintra Teeranon

Abstract


This research analyzes the acoustic characteristics and conducts a perception test of Thai tones produced by Chinese learners learning Thai through the “Thai Tone Applicationâ€.  A comparison of Thai tones pronounced by the participants with 40 Thai native speakers was also conducted. The acoustic characteristics studied in this research were the fundamental frequencies analyzed with the Praat program version 6.0.9. Statistical analysis was used. A paper-based examination was used for the perception test. The results showed that the Thai Tone Application promoted better tone pronunciation and perception in Chinese learners learning Thai as a foreign language. After utilizing the Thai Tone Application with the Chinese learners, they could clearly pronounce the mid and the low tones, which is linguistically classified as the problematic level tones for Chinese learners. The application helped expedite contour tones such as the high tone and the rising tone, but not the falling tone.

Keywords


Acoustic; Perception; Thai Tone

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References


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